On this day 10 September 1976, legendary British rock band Queen played Cardiff Castle. Also on the bill was Cardiff’s Andy Fairweather-Low, Frankie Miller's Full House and Manfred Mann.
Richie Blackmore & Rainbow were originally part of the package but refused to play Cardiff Castle because they couldn't get onstage their 35-foot high artificial rainbow which they regarded as an "essential part of their act". Probably they weren't allowed to put it up due to upstaging Queen.
Roger Taylor wrote about the show in the autumn '76 fan club magazine, describing the weather as "virtually a monsoon." He adds, "The sight of the rain pouring down through the spotlights on everybody, and of Freddie splashing his way through pools of water at the front of the stage will remain indelibly printed on our memories forever. The fact that people stayed on and enjoyed themselves right to the end made it quite a moving occasion for us. In fact, I was so overcome I just had to wreck me drum kit at the end, which reduced 'Crystal' my roadie to floods of tears rivalling the rain (it was a brand new kit too!). Anyway if you were there thanks for being our bravest audience ever and I hope the pneumonia cleared up."
This is assumingly the final performance of Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon.
In his Queen Live book, Queen archivist Greg Brooks alleges there is a bootleg of this show called "Queen At The Castle," but no such release ever occurred. There are no known recordings of this show.
Setlist
A Day At the Races Intro
Bohemian Rhapsody
(Rock Section)
Ogre Battle
Sweet Lady
White Queen (As It Began)
Flick of the Wrist
You're My Best Friend
Bohemian Rhapsody
Killer Queen
The March of the Black Queen
Bohemian Rhapsody
(Reprise)
Bring Back That Leroy Brown
Brighton Rock
Son and Daughter
'39
You Take My Breath Away
The Prophet's Song
Stone Cold Crazy
Doing All Right
Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon
Tie Your Mother Down
Keep Yourself Alive
Liar
In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited
Encore:
Now I'm Here
Big Spender
(Cy Coleman cover)
Jailhouse Rock
(Elvis Presley cover)
God Save the Queen
([traditional] cover)